The Strongest Form of Magic
by ayrabelle
Summary: Renee Madison is the transfer student who has an independent attitude. Edward Thomas is a seventh year who is confident about who he is and what he wants. They become friends easily, but when a Christmas Ball is held they both find that there is a stronger form of magic than either had expected.
1. I Hope You Don't Throw Like a Girl

" _Hi, I'm Renee. Renee Madison."_

Renee Madison, the new student from America, didn't fit Hogwarts's definition of an American, or a new student. She was of medium height with medium length brown hair and brown eyes. She had a fiery temper when set off, but was calm for the most part.

" _Hi Renee, I'm Edward. Edward Thomas. Are you the new seventh year Gryffindor?"_

Renee was beautiful and smart, but she didn't sit back and take life at Hogwarts like some expected her to. On her second day, she jinxed a boy for not leaving her alone - he had been trying to pick her up. In the months since then, there had been an ever-decreasing number of boys that tried to ask her out or help her more than she needed. Her preferred mode of warning someone to back off was a nice jinx to the face.

" _Yeah, I guess I am. Are you in Gryffindor?"_

This only made her more desirable.

" _Yeah, I am. Want me to show you where your class is?"_

The only question was who would get her first?

" _Sure, thanks."_

* * *

"Renee, m'lady!"

Renee scowled at the boy that sat down next to her. "How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?"

The boy merely laughed. "At least once more, as always."

The couple across the table smirked at the pair. "Edward, be careful. Remember what happened to David."

Edward grinned. "But Liza, my dear, that just makes it more interesting."

Renee muttered a spell and turned his hair canary yellow for good measure, though she hadn't ruled out jinxing him just yet. Liza and Scorpius, being the good sports that they were, tried to hide their sniggering. Renee wondered how long it would take Edward to notice.

Liza coughed slightly to control her snorting and raised an eyebrow at Renee. "We should get going to Arithmancy." She turned her attention to Scorpius. "See you later," she sighed, proceeding to kiss him.

Renee and Edward grimaced at each other. According to Edward, it had taken until their sixth year for Scorpius to buck up the courage to ask Liza out. As Renee had only ever seen them together, she had originally assumed that it had been a much longer relationship.

Once the couple broke apart, the guys and girls went their separate ways. The girls walked to Arithmancy laughing and chatting about Quidditch, boys and homework while they heard the boys animatedly discussing the prospects for the English national team in this year's Quidditch World Cup.

Renee couldn't concentrate on Professor Vector's lesson, her mind wandered of its own accord to the dungeons where the guys were in Potions. She wondered how Professor Heineka had reacted to Edward's canary hair.

Halfway through the period, Renee realized what she was doing and mentally slapped herself. She hoped that Liza and Allyson hadn't noticed her non-attentive air. She refocused herself and found that she was able to concentrate much better when she thought about Quidditch. Albus, the captain and one of the Chasers, had a new move planned for Liza and Renee, the other Chasers. It was a rather complex maneuver, but Renee thought that it was fun, and if she concentrated, she was able to almost understand it. This line of thought helped her mind stay in the Arithmancy room, under Renee's control.

When they met the boys again over lunch, Edward's hair was back to its normal almost-black color.

"Thank you for the new look, Renee, but bright yellow just isn't my color." Edward walked over and sat next to Renee.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Edward." Renee feigned surprise. "You're wearing black robes, and the Gryffindor color is gold, not yellow."

Edward merely gave her a sarcastic smile and turned back to Albus, with whom he had entered the Great Hall.

Renee turned to Rose. "How's Jason doing?"

Rose smiled. "He's good. He's glad that I'm so good at Potions, I have to help him a lot." She laughed.

Renee laughed along. Jason Nott was Rose's Slytherin boyfriend. They had met through Scorpius who was friends with them both; at least, that's what Liza had told Renee.

After lunch the Gryffindors, along with Jason, had Care of Magical Creatures together. They were looking forward to this class because it was Hagrid's tradition to provide a fire full of salamanders on the class after the first snowfall of the year, no matter what age the students happened to be.

When the seven friends reached the doors to the grounds, however, they all groaned. The snow that had fallen the previous day was being washed away by a rainstorm.

"Rain in the middle of December?" Albus complained loudly. "It should be snowing!"

The ceiling of the Great Hall had been cloudy, but then again it had been that way for the past month.

Hagrid came up to the castle. "Sorry class, we're gonna be inside today."

Hagrid brought out the salamanders, and they cared for them in the Great Hall. Everyone was quieter than normal. This day was the day that they most looked forward to in the winter months and it had been denied to them. The salamanders were warm and scaly, which only made it worse. They all wished that they could have been outside in the snow.

"So, how are you?" Renee asked Albus with a sad sigh.

He sighed in agreement. "I'm pretty good. How are you?"

Renee couldn't answer because everyone rushed to the windows. It had begun snowing again.

"All righ' everyone," Hagrid called out. "Get yer cloaks, we're gonna head outside. Don't ferget yer Salamanders."

For the remainder of the double period they happily attended to their annual bonfire. The snow was falling perfectly, the bonfire was warm, and the salamanders looked white-hot, as they should. Renee chatted happily with Liza about Quidditch and Albus's new plan for the remainder of the season as they collected wood to fuel the fire.

* * *

That night in the common room, Renee helped Allyson with her Transfiguration homework while Edward, Albus, Rose and Scorpius worked on Potions together. Liza was out doing Head Girl duty.

"Aha!" Allyson exclaimed, throwing her quill down. "I get it!"

Renee smiled. "All because of your wonderful, amazing tutor, right?" They both giggled.

With only one day left until the Christmas holidays, Renee didn't have any more homework so she settled down in an armchair with her favorite book.

The first parchment ball that landed in her lap was ignored. The second was thrown into the fire along with the first. When three identical balls landed at the same time, Renee decided to open one.

 _Renee, m'lady – What are you doing?  
-Edward_

Renee threw the other two into the fire and scribbled a note back.

 _Ignoring you._

She looked behind her to where he was sitting. He was facing to the side, his head bent over his homework.

Perfect.

Renee took aim and threw, pausing just long enough to see the crumpled ball collide with the side of his face. Smirking to herself, Renee sat back down, hiding herself behind the back of the armchair. She knew that she was a Chaser for a good reason.

Before she could get completely settled the paper ball was back in her lap.

 _And failing beautifully. So, what are you doing for the Christmas holidays?_

Renee rolled her eyes and grabbed her quill.

 _I'm not sure. Mom and Dad haven't written to tell me if they got a Portkey for me to go home. I'll probably stay here._

This time Renee used her wand to send the note. Quicker than she expected, it was back.

 _I'm sorry. I'll ask my dad if you can come over, if you want._

Renee was touched. She felt like there were butterflies doing a happy dance in her heart, and she was sure that her mouth had a goofy smile on it, so it took a moment before she could control herself enough to respond.

 _Thanks, but I wouldn't want to intrude on your family._

Thoroughly curious about what his response would be, Renee waited for the ball to land in her lap. She hadn't expected such a generous thought and, though she wouldn't admit it, she really appreciated his offer. Soon enough his reply landed.

 _You wouldn't be intruding. You want me to ask?_

Renee smiled as she replied.

 _If you want to. Thanks._

Renee sent the note and collected her things. It was getting late and she was getting tired.

"Good night, m'lady!" Edward called after her. Renee ignored him, though she was still smiling.

* * *

The next day dawned bright and clear. Renee wasn't used to so much light this early in the morning, so when it invaded the room and shone on her face, she groaned and turned over in her bed.

"Renee, get up! Look outside!" came Liza's much-too-awake voice. Renee said nothing, so Liza whacked her with a pillow.

"Alright, I'm up," Renee grumbled. When she got up and looked outside, however, all sleepiness was forgotten.

The snow had continued throughout the night and the grounds were completely covered in snow. The dormitory was filled with squeals of delight as Liza woke up Allyson and Rose. Renee dressed quickly and warmly. Oh, how glad she was that she only had four classes today!

During breakfast, Edward and Scorpius planned an epic snow battle to be fought after classes were over. Renee, Rose and Liza agreed to join in, and it was agreed that Albus, who hadn't come down yet, was going to be forced to join. Once he did show up, it was decided that Edward and Albus were to be team captains and they each picked their team. The teams as they were by the first class were Albus, Liza and Renee against Edward, Scorpius and Rose. It was also agreed that they wouldn't use wands - only snow.

* * *

Renee couldn't concentrate on Professor Allen's Defense Against the Dark Arts lecture, but neither could the rest of the class. It was the last class of the day for the Gryffindors, and the six friends were anxious to get outside the castle.

When there was only a minute left until freedom, Professor Allen called the class to attention.

"Now, I know that those of you who were planning on staying over break are wondering when the sign up list will be coming around, and I assure you all that it will be passed out tomorrow morning."

Finally, the bell rang. The Gryffindors sprinted to Gryffindor Tower together to drop off their things. As they left, Edward's owl appeared at the window. Edward grabbed Renee's arm and they held back while the others left the common room.

Edward opened the letter and read quickly, a smile growing on his lips. Once he finished he looked up at Renee. "My dad says that you can come over for the holiday. If you want," he added, looking hopeful.

Renee had thought about this the previous night and that day, so she was ready with an answer. "If you're sure," she started hesitantly. When he nodded, she continued, "Then I'd be happy to."

His face lit up. "I'll let my dad know and meet you outside." He ran up to his dormitory with his owl on his shoulder.

Renee smiled to herself as she turned to run outside.

* * *

"Where's Edward?" Scorpius demanded as soon as Renee reached their meeting place before the battle.

"He's sending something to his dad, he'll be down soon," she assured him.

Once they were all gathered in the field, the preparations began. Albus, Liza and Renee built their fort and prepared the snowballs that would stay in the fort. The decision of who would stay behind as their "cannon" was hard as they all had good throwing arms, which made sense because they all were Chasers. In the end, it was decided that Liza had the strongest arm and could cover the most distance, so she stayed behind. The enemy fort was on the other side of the lake, so Albus and Renee decided to use the forest and Hagrid's hut as cover for their attack.

Red sparks shot up from the other fort signaling the start of the battle. Albus led the way behind their fort. Once under cover of the forest, Albus and Renee split up. Renee headed towards the rear of the enemy fort while Albus went to the front. At his signal she started creeping up behind them, and he ran at their front. He was the distraction, and it worked. Edward and Rose fired at Albus so Renee was able to sneak up on them from behind. Sooner than expected, Albus and Renee had won the enemy's fort. Albus stayed behind as Renee marched the prisoners back to her home fort. They didn't put up a fight, which made Renee suspicious. She had expected an escape attempt, especially from Edward.

When they reached the fort they found Liza and Scorpius locked together by the lips.

"Liza!" Renee yelled as Edward cheered, "Scorpius!"

"He's the enemy! You're supposed to defend our fort!" Renee fought hard to suppress a grin. It was so obvious how much those two liked each other.

"Well done, Scorpius," Edward admired. "Effective way to take over a fort, I'll have to remember that one."

Renee glared at Edward before turning to Liza. "What are you doing?"

"Switching teams." Liza grinned wickedly as she fired snowballs at Renee and Edward. They retreated to the fort where a confused Albus was waiting.

"What happened? Where's Liza? Why's he here?" he asked Renee in quick succession, indicating Edward.

"Liza's gone to the dark side. Edward has joined our team. What do we do now?"

"Well, I can't use Scorpius's means of taking over the fort as the only single girl is now on my team," Edward observed, which made Albus look to Renee in confusion.

"When we made it over there we found Scorpius and Liza making out," she explained. Albus looked appreciative, which made Renee scowl at the both of them.

Suddenly, Edward's face lit up. He looked at Renee with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "I hope you don't throw snowballs like a girl."

* * *

Ten minutes later, Edward and Renee were standing in the castle looking out over the battlefield. Their view from the first floor looked right down upon the fort, where all the enemies were currently hiding. Edward had used his wand to Summon snow to their hiding post and to make sure that it wasn't going to melt.

"We never said that we wouldn't use magic on the snow, just not against each other," he defended himself sweetly when Renee raised an eyebrow at him.

"There's Al." Edward pointed out to the open field where Albus was being a splendid decoy. Gathering his snowballs, Edward asked, "Okay, you know the plan, right?" Renee nodded and prepared her snowballs as well.

When the others noticed Albus, they started firing at him, which was Edward's cue to jump out the window onto the raised snow pile and attack from behind. Once some of them turned to start attacking Edward, Renee pelted them with snowballs from her perch in the window.

Rose was the first to go down. Once she did, Renee jumped out the window and rolled down the bank to assist Edward. Liza and Scorpius lasted a minute longer, but they too surrendered.

"Woo!" Edward cheered. He grabbed Renee and swung her around. When he set her down, he looked into her eyes. Renee noticed how his eyes were a lovely shade of chocolate brown as he leaned in towards her.

Their moment didn't last long. Albus came over and clapped Edward on the back, forcing him to take his eyes from Renee's. They celebrated while they walked into the castle. By now it was getting dark and everyone needed to get changed before dinner.

* * *

At dinner Edward, Albus, and Scorpius recounted the battle to Jake, Aiden, Allyson, pretty much anyone who would listen.

"…So then Renee joins the attack and we win!" Edward finished, waving his fork for dramatic effect.

"It was a completely illegal attack!" Liza interjected, adjusting her sparkly pink headband forcibly as it fell down the back of her head.

"On what grounds?" Renee countered. "We didn't shoot any spells at you, we didn't charm the snowballs to fly, and you never said we couldn't use the castle."

"We never said we could!" Liza fired just in time for Professor Anderson, the headmaster, to stand up.

"Now, I'm sure that you are all anxious to get up to your dormitories after a tiring day of work," he announced, his eyes pausing a moment on the Gryffindor seventh years in particular, "but you'll want to hear me out. An old Hogwarts tradition will be returning this year, so be sure to check the bulletin boards in your common rooms tonight. That is all I have to say. Good night!"

The hall was filled with chatter and the sounds of running as everyone tried to get to their common rooms first.

Renee walked with Rose, who waved to Jason as he exited the hall.

"Have you two ever been caught in any broom closets by Liza after curfew?" Renee inquired, smiling at Rose.

"Only once," Rose responded innocently, unable to hide a wicked smirk.

They were the first seventh years to reach the common room. When they approached the board, they had to fight their way through the crowd of younger students. When they got to the front, a large, blue poster greeted them, covering everything else.

 _All fourth years and above are cordially invited to Hogwarts's annual  
Yule Ball  
To be held on the 25th December.  
Dress robes are to be worn.  
First through third years may attend with an older date._

Renee groaned and fought her way back out of the mob of students as quickly as possible. She knew what was coming.

Before she could make it up the stairs she heard his voice calling, "Hey, Renee!"

Muttering darkly to herself about Hogwarts and balls, Renee reluctantly turned around.

Edward stood there grinning. "Wannagowithme?"

He had said it so fast that Renee didn't understand there were four different words instead of just one long one. "Sorry, what?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't do it right, did I?" He grabbed both of her hands and knelt on one knee. "Renee Madison, would you do me the honor of attending the Yule Ball with me?" He grinned up at her.

Groaning internally that she hadn't run faster, Renee agreed, "Sure, I'll go."

Edward stood and bowed. "Thank you, m'lady." Renee couldn't help herself, she giggled. When Edward looked back up at her his smile seemed so genuine that Renee's resolve faltered. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.


	2. Finding You

Renee signed her name when the list was passed around of people wishing to stay over the holiday. There were already so many names that Renee wondered if it was a record.

"Hey, m'lady." Edward sat down next to Renee and put his arm around her shoulders. Renee rolled her eyes and passed the list. He signed his name and added in an undertone, "I wrote to my dad, he says that you can come over for Easter, since we're staying for Christmas, if you want to."

Renee smiled. "Thanks, I might take you up on that." She was surprised at how quickly he communicated with his dad; it had only been last night that he asked her to the ball.

"So, what's your plan for today?" Liza asked Renee as Renee shrugged out from under Edward's arm.

"I don't know, what were you gonna do?" Renee turned to Liza.

"Well, Scorpius and I…" Liza began.

"Say no more." Renee winked. "I'll find something else."

Edward stood up and took her hand, kissing it. "Would you fancy taking a walk with me, m'lady? The air is crisp and clear, I think you'll find it to your liking."

Renee raised an eyebrow, but decided to play along.

Standing up, she curtsied and put on a ridiculously fake accent. "Thank you, kind sir. I would be glad to."

He offered her his arm, and she took it as they walked out of the Great Hall.

Once they made it to the Entrance Hall, they both burst out laughing. As Renee slipped her arm out of his a look came across his face, but she couldn't tell what it was before it vanished.

"So," he began, looking around, "where do you want to go?"

Renee shrugged. "I don't care, really. Where did you plan on going?"

Edward just shrugged as well. "I didn't plan. How about we just take a walk around the lake?"

"Sounds good to me." Renee started to put on her cloak. Edward helped her before sliding his on as well.

Once outside, Renee gasped at the glory of the Hogwarts grounds under the white blanket they were coated in. Apparently, it had snowed overnight so all traces of their battle the previous day had disappeared. Edward smiled at her amazement as he led the way down the steps and to the lawn.

"Um, so," Renee began, "this whole ball thing…" She hesitated, unsure of how to continue.

Edward looked at her. "Yes, there is a Yule Ball. Yes, I asked you last night. No, it wasn't just the most amazing dream you've ever had. It was real, don't worry." He smirked.

Renee swatted his arm but couldn't hide her smile. "No, I mean," her face grew somber, "it won't affect us, will it? I mean if it… doesn't go well, we'll still be friends, right?"

Edward's face had gotten serious as well, but it soon returned to his playful smile. "Of course. You don't think that I would let a silly little ball get between us, do you?"

Renee smiled and shook her head. As they rounded the far edge of the lake, Renee tried unsuccessfully to stifle another gasp. The castle looked so picturesque with the snow that she couldn't help but be amazed. She could see that Edward was about to comment, so she hurriedly changed the subject. "How many people do you think are still asleep?"

Edward smiled at her question and her rather transparent attempt at shifting his attention. "Well, at least Al. If we didn't have morning classes, I don't think he would wake up until lunch."

They walked in silence for a little while. By the time they had made a full circuit of the lake, they saw where their original footprints started and continued on in them.

"What's your family like?" Renee asked after a while. "If I'm going to come over, I'd like to know what to expect."

Edward snorted. "I don't even know what to expect. My aunts, most of my cousins, and Aiden will be nice, but I can't guarantee anything about my dad, uncles, older brother or the rest of the cousins. Don't worry," he rushed on at Renee's nervous look, "they're all great. They just like to joke around."

Renee grinned. She could totally relate.

Edward looked sideways at Renee, and she knew what was coming. Renee had avoided talking about her family in the beginning of the year, as it would make her feel homesick and unwanted.

"What about your family?" Edward eyed her face skeptically.

Renee figured that now was as good a time as any. "Well, my family is full of jokers, like yours. We live all over the country, and my mom and dad like taking road trips to visit them." She rolled her eyes. "So many hours in a Muggle car made me wish that I could learn to Apparate at age five."

Edward smiled. "Where'd you go to school?" Now that she was opening up, Renee could see the questions burning in Edward's eyes.

"I went to M-Pac. That's Magical Academy: Pacific. In America, wizarding schools are determined by the region where you live. There's Mid, Magic Midwest, Mag-South, Mag-North, and then Mag-Hawaii and MAK up in Alaska. They are like the houses here, except we had to travel to play Quidditch and everything. We were the champions last year." Renee smiled at the memory.

"Why'd you come here?"

"My parents wanted me to get to see another culture before I was out on my own. They were debating whether to send me here or Beauxbatons." Renee smirked. "I think the fact that I speak absolutely no French might have pushed them in favor of Hogwarts."

Edward smiled, but he seemed a little sad at the same time. Renee looked at him confusedly. "What's wrong?"

He turned toward her and smiled a little broader, though it still didn't quite reach his eyes. "It's nothing. Talking about my family just always makes me think about my mum."

Renee looked at him questioningly. "Why? You don't have to tell me if you don't want…"

"No, you told me about your family so I'll tell you about mine." Their walk had slowed incredibly and Edward's eyes were far away. "My mum was killed in my first year. Some of Voldemort's supporters had been hiding out and they came out in full power. My dad was taking me and Aiden on a day trip to Diagon Alley during the Christmas holiday when they came to my house. My mum was at home with Aiden's mum. They came for my dad – he's Muggle-born. Both our mums were pureblood, but they put up a fight."

Renee remembered how Edward had been talking about asking his dad for permission, but she had thought that meant that his mom was away. She took his hand and squeezed it comfortingly.

Edward looked down at her and smiled a happier smile, returning the squeeze. "So, yeah, now Aiden is my brother. His dad had died the year before, so my dad adopted him. We'd been friends since we were real young, so then we just became brothers. It worked out." They had slowed to a stop, so they started up again and continued talking.

The sun was high in the sky, and they had beaten a path through the snow before Renee realized how late it had gotten. "Merlin! What time is it?"

Edward looked at his watch and did a double take. "One o'clock? Where did all the time go?" He then smiled, a playful gleam coming to his eyes. "How fast can you run in the snow?"

Renee paused, raised an eyebrow, and then took off running to the castle.

Edward yelled from behind her, "Hey! That's cheating!"

Renee just giggled as she flew up the steps and halted to wait for Edward.

She didn't have to wait long. Before she could turn around, her sudden stop made Edward go flying into her, knocking both of them down into the snow.

Laughing, Edward helped Renee up. Again, while looking up into his face, she noticed how beautiful his eyes were. However, their moment was broken when students walking across the Entrance Hall reminded them that they needed to get up to Gryffindor Tower.

When they got there, they found that only Albus had stayed, and that was because he was asleep in an armchair.

Renee went up to her dormitory to get clean, dry, comfy clothes on. When she got back down, Edward had woken up Albus, and the two were playing a game of chess. Renee settled down in an armchair to read.

Edward's loud swear brought Renee back from her book.

"That's ten games in a row! How the bloody hell are you doing that?" he complained to Albus.

Albus merely smiled. "A champion never reveals his secrets."

Edward grumbled something about Weasley relatives and chess while resetting the board.

"Al!" A redheaded sixth year came running down the steps. "Mum wants to know if you've found a date to the ball. Have you?"

Albus flushed and muttered something unintelligible, so the redhead pressed, "Did you?"

"Yes, alright, Lily?" Albus sounded exasperated. He flushed and looked down; his face suggesting that all he wanted was for everyone to just drop the subject, so Lily complied.

* * *

Dinner that night was a rather laid-back affair. Afterwards, Renee walked in on almost all of the younger Gryffindor girls complaining amongst themselves that they hadn't gotten a date. Whenever a boy would walk in, their heads would perk up, only to be disappointed when it was a younger boy.

Renee settled down at a table to do some homework and enjoy the show. When Albus made it through the throng, he joined her.

Around nine-thirty, most of them resigned to the fact that they wouldn't get dates and, dejected, filtered up the stairs to pack.

As it got closer to ten o'clock, Al started glancing at his watch about every three seconds or so.

"Got a hot date?" Renee joked, smiling.

Al looked up from his watch sharply. "How did you know?"

"Whoa," Renee backpedaled. "I was just joking with you. I noticed you counting the passing seconds."

Albus grinned shamefacedly. "Sorry. It's just that Jake and I were planning on going for a walk tonight."

"Wait, Jake Gorge? Our Jake?" Renee's eyes widened.

Albus flushed and looked down. "Yeah, that's him. And that's why we're trying to keep it more of a secret." He glanced up at her, his eyes pleading.

"Don't worry, Al," Renee assured him. "Your secret is safe with me."

Al smiled in thanks, before looking at his watch. "Merlin's pants! I've got to go!"

"Have fun." Renee winked at him.

* * *

The next day, Renee slept in and missed breakfast, but, so had Jessica, Rose and Allyson. Liza had always been an early morning person, much to Renee's confusion. How could someone be so awake so bloody early in the morning?

When Renee finally decided to greet the world, she didn't get very far. Making it only as far as the common room, she curled up in an armchair with her favorite book.

It was here that Edward found her after lunch had already started.

Renee was so engrossed in her book that she didn't notice Edward come up behind her, so when he kissed the top of her head she jumped.

Edward laughed. "So this is where you've been. Were you gonna come get any lunch?"

When Renee just shrugged and returned to her book, Edward walked around the chair and picked her up. Renee screamed and was only barely able to keep a hold of her book.

"Put me down!" she demanded. Edward ignored her and walked on to the stairs to the dormitories.

"You can't get up the girls' staircase," Renee warned him. She didn't fancy getting dropped and sliding back down.

"Then it's a good thing we're not headed to the girls' dormitory then, isn't it?" Edward smirked. Renee smacked his arm, unable to ignore how strong it was, and tried to get down, but he was too strong.

Once in the seventh year boys' dorm, Edward set Renee down and walked over to his trunk.

"What are you doing?" Renee inquired, glancing around the room. Boys were much messier than girls, there were clothes and books and Merlin-knows-what strewn all about the floor.

"Well, it seems that you aren't taking your own health seriously, so I'm getting some clothes for you to borrow so we can go get you some food." Edward emerged from his trunk with a simple shirt and a pair of sweatpants.

"Thank you," Renee shot at him, snatching the clothes he offered with a sarcastic face.

"You're welcome," he retorted. Grinning at her, he left the room and shut the door.

Rolling her eyes, Renee changed. She had heard of the band on the shirt, 'Three Wizards and a Muggle.' They played both wizarding music and Muggle music. Renee would never tell Edward, but his clothes were actually quite comfortable and smelled good.

Gathering what dignity she had left, Renee strode out of the dorm right past Edward.

Renee made to go towards her dorm to drop off her clothes and book, but Edward grabbed the back of her shirt and dragged her back.

"Nice try." He continued pulling her towards the portrait hole. "Didn't you hear me say that I would get you some food? We're going to eat."

"But my clothes," Renee complained, trying to pull away.

Edward waved at them with his wand, and they disappeared from Renee's hands.

"Where'd you send them?" Renee demanded, still being pulled along by the back of her shirt.

"Don't worry, they're in my room," Edward assured her.

Once they got through the portrait hole, Edward swung Renee around in front of him, catching her before she fell.

Renee stood up straight, crossing her arms and looking up into his face. "You know that by the time we down there, lunch will be over."

Edward merely smiled down at her. "The kitchens never close," he said in a rather ominous tone, thoroughly confusing Renee.

Renee had been correct. The Great Hall wasn't serving food anymore, but that didn't stop Edward. Grabbing Renee by the arm, he pulled her along another corridor.

"Where are we going?" Renee inquired curiously, just in time for them to stop in front of a painting of a bowl of fruit.

"I don't want fruit today, thank you for the offer." One could practically hear the sarcasm hitting the floor as it dripped from Renee's voice.

Edward gave her a 'shut up and just watch' look while reaching up to tickle a pear.

Renee felt her eyes widen slightly as the pear turned into a doorknob, and Edward swung the painting forward.

Immediately after stepping inside, Renee found herself being surrounded by eager house-elves.

"Hello, Mr. Edward! Does Mr. Edward care for one of the pies he is always wanting?"

Edward, already a tall person, positively towered over the elves. "Yes, please. Thank you, Dolly."

Another elf came up to Renee and bowed. "Hello, Miss. Maxis is here to help you. What is your name?"

"Um, I'm Renee," she answered, unsure of how to address the elf.

"Hello, Miss Renee. What is you coming to us for?"

"Well, I missed lunch…" Renee started, but was cut off by the flurry of activity around her. Elves were ushering her to a table where Edward was watching in amusement. Other elves were offering her butterbeer, water, almost any drink she could think of.

Sitting down, she took the water and tray of food that was set on her lap. Curiously enough, there was a white rose in a small vase of water on the tray as well. White roses were Renee's favorite flower, how could they have known that?

"What are you gawking at the flower for?" Edward noticed her looking at the rose.

"I love white roses," Renee told him, picking it up. "I'm just happy to see one; I almost never do, especially in winter."

Renee put the rose in her hair—an elf had cut the thorns off—and began to eat. The food was Renee's favorite sandwich and soup. How much did the elves know about her?

Renee and Edward sat in the kitchens, warm and comfortable, and talked until dinnertime.

Tonight's dinner was a more extravagant affair; it was Christmas Eve, after all.

The Great Hall had been decorated during the day to prepare for the ball, and now it was a winter wonderland. As Renee walked in, she felt rather under-dressed, glancing down at her shirt and sweatpants, and she noticed others with the same reaction.

Once everyone was seated, Professor Anderson stood up.

"Happy Christmas Eve, Hogwarts! As so many of you have stayed, we have left the tables as they were, but do not feel the need to sit according to Houses. Move around, mingle, perhaps find a last minute date. Bon appétit!"

As he sat down, food appeared on the tables. Jason made his way over to sit next to Rose when Renee saw Jake and Albus walking over hand in hand.

"Hey guys," they greeted the group, looking nervous as to how everyone would react. There were a few looks of surprise, but no one seemed disgusted at this revelation of their House-mates' sexualities.

Renee shoved Edward over to make room for them next to her. "Hey, guys. I was wondering where you were."

Albus smiled as he sat down, but Jake still looked wary. Albus kissed his cheek and whispered something in his ear, which cheered the boy.

"What was that for?" Edward gave Renee a martyred look while rubbing his arm.

Renee gave him an exasperated look. "Oh, please. I barely hit you!"

Edward grinned and sat up straight, getting ready to eat. "I love the sympathy coming from you. I feel much better now, thanks."

Renee smiled angelically before starting on her meal.

* * *

Edward and Renee were the first to finish their dinners, so they walked back to Gryffindor Tower together.

"Are you excited for tomorrow?" he asked her, smiling.

Renee thought about it for a moment. Sure, she was excited, but she didn't know how excited. "I guess," was her brilliant answer. "How about you?"

He looked straight forward and didn't answer for a moment either. "Yeah, I'm excited." His expression was guarded; Renee looked into his face curiously.

He turned and smiled, but before he could say anything, another voice called, "Renee! Hold on, wait for me!"

They both turned around and saw David Taylor running to catch up with them. Renee scowled; David Taylor was the one that wouldn't leave her alone in the beginning of the year.

Ignoring Edward, David addressed Renee. "Hey, you know the Yule Ball is tomorrow." Without waiting for a response, he continued, "And I figured that you would want a date, so here I am."

"What makes you think I haven't found a date already?" Renee worked on controlling her temper – David had an ego the size of a full-grown dragon and Renee couldn't stand him.

However, he must have missed the flare of her eyes and her menacing tone, because he continued on, "Well, I know that you're the new girl, and I didn't think that you'd get asked, so I'm taking pity on you and asking you to be my date."

It was a good thing that Edward was so strong, as his arms were the only thing that held Renee back when she lashed out at David – forgetting that she was a witch and just trying to hit the prat.

"Get the bloody hell out of our faces," Edward snarled at David, turning his back and dragging Renee through the portrait hole.

Once Edward released Renee, she stood in the middle of the room to control her trembling fists so that she wouldn't break anything in her dorm.

When she had tried to hit David, some of her hair had fallen out of the messy ponytail she had pulled it back into. Edward caught some of the flyaway strands and tucked them behind her ears, rubbing her arms and unclenching her fists. Renee found that his presence and how he rubbed her back helped her calm down quicker than normal.

"Better?" he inquired after a minute.

"I think so," Renee replied hesitantly.

Edward laughed. "I'll go get your book and pajamas from my room."

As he disappeared up the stairs, Renee thought about the day to come. She hoped that Edward was right, that it would be great.

"Here you go." Edward reappeared, holding Renee's things.

"Thanks." Renee tried to put as much meaning as possible into that one word.

Edward seemed to get it. "No problem. Sleep well." He leaned down and swiftly kissed her forehead before disappearing again.

Renee stood there for a moment, dazed, before the sounds of activity could be heard coming this way. Quickly and quietly, she made her escape to her room where she put the rose on her headboard and read for the rest of the night.

* * *

"Happy Christmas!" Jessica's cheer woke up Renee and Allyson. Liza was already tearing into her presents and Rose was admiring a necklace.

Renee looked at the stack of parcels on her bed. The one on top had her mom's handwriting on it, so she opened that one first.

 _Renee,  
Merry Christmas! We miss you and hope that you're having a good time.  
Love,  
Mom and Dad_

As she untied the string, a box of cookies and a new book were revealed. Squealing in delight, Renee picked up the book. It was the sequel to the one that she had now, and there was an inscription inside.

 _Renee,  
Now you don't have to wait to get home when you finish the first one.  
Love, Mom_

The note on the cookies proclaimed them to be from Grandma with love. Renee opened them and popped one into her mouth, reaching for the next gift. She unwrapped candy, baked goods and notes from all of her friends.

Finally, there were only two gifts left. The larger one's card read that it was from Liza, so Renee picked it up first.

Inside was a Quaffle. The stamp on it said "Property of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Thanks, Liza," Renee called across the room. "You got me a… stolen Quaffle?"

Heaving an exaggerated sigh, Liza explained. "That's not just any Quaffle, Renee. That's the Quaffle you scored your first goal at Hogwarts with. And it's not _stolen_ ," she scoffed.

Renee's smile was huge. "Wow, thanks, Liza!"

This left only one present. There was no card on the outside, so Renee tore into the paper.

Renee gasped softly. The most beautiful necklace she had ever seen fell out onto her palm. It was a simple silver chain with a brown crystalline heart hanging from it. Renee held it up to the light and admired how it sparkled in the sunlight.

"Wow, Renee, that's beautiful," Rose admired. "Who gave it to you?"

"I'm not sure, hang on." The card had dropped to the floor so Renee had to stoop quickly to pick it up.

 _Renee,  
Happy Christmas!  
I hope that tonight will be to your liking, m'lady.  
-Edward_

* * *

As they walked out of the portrait hole for breakfast, five boys awaited them. Scorpius held out his hand to Liza, Jason was there for Rose, and Jessica and Allyson's dates were each there as well. Edward stood at the end of the line, beaming. The necklace that Renee had gotten him, a ruby gemstone on a black cord, was around his neck.

"Good morning, m'lady," he greeted her, extending his arm. "Would you like to get some breakfast?"

Renee smiled and took his arm. "Thank you for the necklace."

Edward inclined his head. "And thank you as well."

The Great Hall was rather empty when they got down; most people had either slept in and were now opening presents or were getting ready for tonight.

They all chatted and thanked one another for their presents, but the girls had to eat quickly before hurrying back up to Gryffindor Tower to prepare for the night that lay ahead.


	3. Do You Believe in Magic?

It was utter chaos in the seventh year girls' dormitory. Their manicures and pedicures had taken from just after breakfast until after lunch, after which the major preparations had begun.

"Has anyone seen my other shoe?"

"I can't get my makeup to cooperate!"

"My hair doesn't look right!"

Renee heard all of this from the shower. The hot water was good for her; it helped her to relax.

When she got out, she put on the dark brown slip that went under her silver dress robes. Muttering a quick drying spell on her hair, Renee started to work on getting it right. She pulled the top half back into a half-ponytail, and let the rest wave naturally.

Satisfied, she moved on to her makeup. She decided that simplicity was the best route and applied a slight brown shimmer to accent her eyes.

Renee walked out of the bathroom and let Jessica in, who was almost in hysterics over the state of her hair.

Everyone had hung their dress robes up on their beds to admire. Allyson's were a deep blue, Jessica's a vibrant red. Rose was wearing her emerald green robes, and Liza's robes were a bright pink, just a shade short of being headache-inducing. Renee's robes, however, were nowhere to be seen.

"Where are my dress robes?"

Rose shrugged. "I don't know, maybe Allyson or Liza does."

Trying not to panic, Renee prepared everything else for the night ahead. Her shoes were of the strappy heel variety; Renee was glad to have a date tall enough that she could wear heels. She took the necklace that Edward had given her and clasped it around her neck. The color of the heart reminded her of something, she just couldn't place what.

Allyson came out of the second bathroom and Renee stopped her. "Hey, Allyson, have you seen where my dress robes went?"

Allyson frowned apologetically. "No, sorry. Maybe they fell?"

Getting slightly more panicky, Renee searched around her bed. They weren't under it, on it or in her trunk. Pulling back her blankets, Renee found Edward's shirt from the previous day that she had forgotten to return to him. Sighing, she folded it and placed it on top of her trunk.

When Liza walked back into the room, she had an announcement. "I've told the boys to meet us outside the common room at four thirty."

Renee looked at the clock on her bedside table – they only had fifteen minutes left. Where had all their time gone?

"Liza, have you seen my dress robes?" Renee asked.

"Yeah, I put them on the bathroom door for you."

Renee let out a huge sigh of relief. "Oh, alright. Thanks."

Once she put them on, Renee fussed over the minor details of her outfit. She performed a charm that removed all of the dust and wrinkles from her robes, and then made sure that the collar was folded properly. Once satisfied with the collar, she fixed the necklace and put earrings in. Once she put her shoes on, Renee walked over to check how she looked in the full-length mirror that hung on the back of the door.

"Wow, Renee." Rose appeared at her side. "You look stunning."

"Thank you, so do you, Rose."

They both smiled, and then were called to the center of the room by Liza.

"Alright, it is four twenty-five. It's time to go," she proclaimed in a voice that belonged in a theater.

Renee and Rose held their giggling; Liza could be so over-dramatic sometimes. Taking a deep breath and praying that she wouldn't trip down the stairs, Renee followed Rose as they went to meet the boys.

As they walked through the portrait hole, Renee felt her breath catch in her throat. The five guys all stood in a line waiting for their dates. They all had black dress robes on, but their undershirts matched the robes of their date.

Edward stood again at the end of the line. He was wearing a silver shirt, but he also had on the necklace that Renee had gotten him. Renee thought that he looked rather handsome. When she walked up to him, he bowed.

"Hello, Renee," he greeted her. He didn't look like himself, he looked more nervous than Renee had ever seen him; his eyes didn't have their usual gleam and his mouth was missing its constant smile.

Renee smiled encouragingly as she took his offered arm, and they followed Scorpius and Liza to the Great Hall.

Once they got to the Entrance Hall, the doors to the Great Hall hadn't been opened yet, so everyone was gathered and waiting. Renee saw David Taylor's eyes widen at the sight of Renee on Edward's arm. He himself had no date, a fact that Renee was more than slightly pleased about.

They found Albus and Jake, and everyone got through the customary ooh-ing and ahh-ing at each others' sharply dressed looks quickly.

The doors opened slightly, and Professor Allen walked out. She was wearing light blue dress robes and her hair was amazingly straight.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" she called and there was immediate silence. "Welcome to the Yule Ball. Your names have been placed at tables. Please sit according to where your name is."

As Professor Allen turned around and strode back into the Great Hall, the doors opened wide. Many of the students gasped as they saw the interior.

Renee felt her eyes widen at the splendor of the room. The ceiling was snowing lightly from a cloudless and starry sky and there were little round tables set up all around. Ice sculptures and decorated trees lined the walls. The front of the room had a slight gap between the High Table and the round tables, where Renee assumed that the dance floor was to be. The lighting of the room had a blue tint to it, and it seemed as though even the candles were emitting a blue glow. Renee took Edward's arm again as they entered the hall to find their seats.

Close to the center of the hall, Edward found their table. He pulled Renee's seat out for her before sitting next to her. Liza and Scorpius joined them, followed by Rose and Jason and Albus and Jake.

All of the guys picked something up from their plates and read it. Edward showed his to Renee – it was a ticket for a free picture together for each of them.

They barely had time to wonder at those tickets before Professor Anderson stood up to address the school.

"Welcome to the evening's festivities! After dinner, we shall clear off the dance floor and the band will come out. You will be free to go outside, if you so desire. Have a good night!"

When he sat down, menus appeared instead of the food many had been expecting. Curious, Renee looked up at the High Table and felt her mouth drop open.

"What are you staring at?" Edward followed her gaze and his eyes widened.

"Samuel Allen is here?" Renee gasped. "That is so amazing - I thought he would be training."

"Yeah, neat." He turned back to his menu but Renee continued watching Samuel Allen. He was one of her favorite Quidditch players, the best seeker outside of England, and he was also from America.

As she was watching, she saw the professors speak to their plates and the food appeared. Mimicking them, Renee ordered her dinner directly to her empty plate. The others watched her as her dinner appeared and hastened to follow her lead.

* * *

Once everyone had finished, Professor Anderson stood up and prompted everyone else to do so as well. With a wave of his wand, the tables and chairs clustered outside of a central dance floor, and a refreshments table appeared. With another wave, a stage appeared and the band walked up.

In keeping up with the current trend, Hogwarts had hired Three Wizards and a Muggle to play. The first song they played was "Somebody Told Me" by the Killers. Screaming girls dragged their dates to the floor to dance. Renee grabbed Edward's hand and pulled him along to claim a corner for their group to dance together.

They danced through four songs before Renee got too warm. Seeming to feel the same, Edward gestured to the doors. Renee nodded and followed as he led the way outside.

"Ah, fresh air!" Renee smiled, spinning in a quick circle. The staff had placed a warming spell on a section of the grounds, so it wasn't nearly as cold as it could have been. However, it was cold enough for the snow not to melt.

Finding a bench, Renee sat down and loosened her shoes.

Edward sat next to her. "Are you having fun?" he asked tentatively.

Renee smiled brightly. "Yeah, I am. Are you?"

He relaxed and smiled back. "Of course I am."

Renee laughed. Sighing contentedly, she leaned back into the back of the bench and gave an involuntary shiver.

"Are you cold?" Edward immediately asked. Renee denied it, but he didn't believe her. Leaning back next to her, he put his arm around her shoulders. Renee was glad for the warmth.

"So, how do you like Hogwarts, now that the year is half over?" he asked conversationally. Renee looked at his face and his expression was guarded.

Trying to figure out why, Renee responded carefully. "I really like it."

He nodded in approval. "That's good."

Renee looked at him. He looked like he wanted to ask something else, but wasn't. "Why?" she prompted.

He was silent for a moment. "What are you going to do at the end of the year?" he asked bluntly.

Renee was startled. She wasn't expecting this question, and she didn't really want to think about it. "Well, I'm not entirely sure yet. What about you? Did you still want to be a professor here?"

Edward ignored her questions. His expression was still guarded, but Renee thought that she could see some anger through the mask. "You're not sure? So what, tonight's just a good night and then at the end of the year you'll go back to America, 'Perfect America,' and not think about us ever again?"

Renee was stunned. She didn't know what had given him the idea that she was like that, but it made her angry. "What makes you think that?" She pulled out from under his arm and turned to face him.

His face was angry and sarcastic. "Well, you don't know what you're going to do, so you'll probably go home and just never come back, leaving me here as an unwilling bachelor."

Renee's temper flared. She stood up, only barely managing to not yell at him. "Well, since you asked so kindly, I was _going_ to see about renting a flat in Hogsmeade."

Edward's anger dissolved immediately, and his face betrayed his shock. "You… you were?"

Renee's anger didn't dissolve as fast. "Well, since it seems that you wouldn't want me around anyway, I guess I won't. I'm sorry for wasting your time." She turned and stalked away.

She wasn't about to go back inside, so she turned the corner of the courtyard, out of eye shot of anyone, and felt her temper completely die faster than any time before.

She found another bench and sank into it, hanging her head in her hands. What had just happened? The night had been going so well, and now she was fighting tears.

The sounds of footsteps made her look up. Edward stood there, shamefaced. Renee couldn't find the anger at him that had been there just moments before, now all she wanted was to take back those few moments and have everything go back to the way it was.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, and then looked closer at her face. "Were you crying?" he asked, ashamed.

Renee felt her cheeks and, sure enough, a few tears had escaped. "No," she lied stubbornly, turning away and wiping her face with the back of her hand.

Edward gave a small smile and sat next to her. "I really am sorry. I don't know why I said those things; I don't know what came over me. Can you forgive me?"

Renee looked at his genuinely sorry smile and gave a smile herself. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have flared at you like that."

"Apology accepted." He grinned his normal smile and Renee felt better.

"So, what were you planning on doing?" she asked him, shivering again.

He automatically put his arm around her shoulders as he answered. "Well, you were right, I do want to stay here and try that new Teacher's Prep program." He looked sideways at her and asked in a smaller voice, "What about you?"

Renee smiled encouragingly. "Well, I'll probably go home for a bit to see my family, but then I was thinking of renting a flat in Hogsmeade and maybe training to join a Quidditch team."

Edward looked thoughtful. "You know, ever since Janet Ferguson talked about trying out for the Chudley Cannons last year, there's been talk about who's going to be the first woman Quidditch player outside of the Harpies." He grinned. "That can be a goal for you."

Renee smirked. The sounds of the dance floated outside and Renee heard the beginnings of "Write You a Song" by the Plain White T's. "Ooh," she sighed, "I love this song."

"In that case, let's go." Edward pulled her up and led her back into the Great Hall. Turning to her and bowing, he asked, "Would you like to dance?"

Renee smiled as she curtsied. "Yes, thank you."

He put his hands around her waist as she wrapped her arms around his neck and they swayed to the song together.

"So, does this make us boyfriend and girlfriend?" Renee asked. Her dating history was rather sparse, giving her nothing to go by.

Edward shrugged. "I guess if you want it to."

Suddenly, Renee realized where she had seen the color of the heart of her necklace from. "Hey, did you know that the color of your eyes matches the color of the necklace you gave me?"

"Wow, really?" Edward was entirely unable to hide his mischievous grin.

Renee raised an eyebrow, but said nothing as the song came to a close. A faster song started up, and Renee and Edward were about to go looking for their group when Professor Allen stopped them.

"Hello, Renee, Edward." She smiled. "I have someone I would like you to meet, Renee." She stepped aside and this time Edward's mouth dropped open as Samuel Allen walked forward to greet them. Renee snapped Edward's mouth shut as Mr. Allen approached them.

"Hello, Renee Madison. Melissa here has told me a lot about you. You too, Edward Thomas." He shook each of their hands in turn. "I hear you went to M-Pac, Renee. I also hear that you are both rather good Quidditch players. What would you say to a pick-up game later this week?"

Renee felt a grin grow on her face. "Of course, Mr. Allen, we would love to play a game with you."

He smiled in return. "That's great. Oh, and call me Sam." He led Professor Allen away to dance some more.

Edward turned to Renee in shock. "Samuel Allen wants to play a game of Quidditch with us! Wow."

"Wow," Renee agreed.

Once they had both recovered, they found Rose and Jason, who were the only ones left of their friends on the dance floor.

"Where'd everyone else go?" Edward asked.

Jason shrugged. "Liza and Scorpius went outside, Albus and Jake are, I think, sitting at a table."

"What do you want to do?" Renee asked, turning to Edward.

"I don't care. You want to dance?"

Renee smiled. "Sure."

* * *

After another two songs, Renee wanted to go outside again. Edward followed as she led the way to the doors.

Once outside, Renee took off her shoes. They looked great, but they hurt like hell after so much dancing.

"Let's take a walk," Edward suggested, indicating the path that was illuminated by fairy lights.

"So, what were you thinking of teaching?" Renee asked as their path was almost swallowed by the snow outside the courtyard.

"I'm not entirely sure yet." He looked thoughtful, seeming to take her hand almost absentmindedly. "I was thinking either Potions or Transfiguration. I'm good at both of those classes and I enjoy them."

"Ew, Potions," Renee joked. Potions had never been a strong subject for her; she was so glad that she was able to drop it this year. At M-Pac it was required for all four years.

There was a bench at the end of their path. Before they could sit down, it started to snow.

Grinning brightly, Renee set her shoes down on the bench and twirled around in the falling snowflakes. Edward grabbed her by the waist to lift her up and spin her around.

When he set her down, a curious look came to his eyes.

"Do you believe in magic?" he asked in a soft voice.

Gazing into his eyes, Renee couldn't deny it. "Yes," she breathed.

He muttered something unintelligible to Renee and gently turned her around. Gasping in amazement, Renee watched the bush directly in front of her. White roses were blooming on it before her eyes. Edward walked over and picked one.

"Renee," Edward began, turning back to her and holding out the flower, "I'll make this official. Will you be my girlfriend?"

Renee's smile grew as she took the flower. "Of course."

Edward grabbed her waist and pulled her closer. Before Renee could prepare herself, Edward leaned down to kiss her. It was short and sweet, but when he pulled away, Renee was slightly dazed.

After a moment, Edward laughed. "I know I'm good, but this is the first time I've rendered someone speechless."

Once the ground stayed where it should be, Renee hit him lightly on the arm. The sounds of a slow song reached them, and Renee leaned into Edward's chest as he held her close. They swayed in time with the song until it ended. Afterwards, Edward kissed her again, only this time Renee kissed him back.

"You want to go get that picture?" he asked once they broke apart.

"Sure." As he led the way, Renee realized that she didn't know where the photo area was. On the other side of the courtyard was a little alcove where a photographer stood. Edward held Renee's waist and Renee held her rose as the flash went off.

"The pictures will be ready by lunch tomorrow," the man droned. Renee wondered how long the poor guy had been standing there.

When Edward and Renee walked back into the Great Hall, a faster song had started up. Albus and Jake were dancing, so Edward and Renee went to join them.

* * *

At eleven fifty-eight, the band announced that they would be playing the last song of the night. There was a mass movement to the dance floor and Liza and Scorpius reappeared, along with Rose and Jason.

The band played "Before It's Too Late" by the Goo Goo Dolls. Renee leaned on Edward's shoulder again, drawing a wolf-whistle from Albus and cheers from the rest of their friends.

As the song finished, Professor Allen got up on the stage. "Ladies and gentlemen, we hope that you all have had an unforgettable night. It is now midnight, please return to your dormitories immediately." Her eyes twinkled, though, like she knew that many couples wouldn't make it quite that far.

Renee and Edward walked back to their common room hand in hand. It wasn't until they made it to the corridor that led to the painting of the Fat Lady, Renee realized that she had forgotten something.

"Oh no, my shoes! They're still outside!"

"Don't worry, I'll get them for you," Edward promised as the painting swung forward.

Not surprisingly, they were the first students to get back. When they reached the base of both staircases, Edward pulled Renee into a hug and held her there for a moment.

"I love you, Renee Madison," he whispered in her ear.

Renee felt her heart surge in her chest at the word. She then realized that, no matter how she had tried to deny it these past few days, she loved him back. "I love you too, Edward Thomas," she whispered back.

Edward gave her a quick kiss. "Good night, m'lady. Sweet dreams." He led her to the stairs and watched as she disappeared from sight.

When Renee got to her dorm, she hung up her robes and collapsed into bed, not even remembering to pull the covers over herself.

* * *

Renee woke up to see the sun high in the sky. Rolling over in bed to look at her clock, she found that her covers were pulled up to her chin. Glancing at the clock, she saw that it was already ten. For once, however, she was the first person awake in her dorm – not even Liza was awake yet. As the memories from last night flooded over her, she sighed contentedly and looked over to see her shoes sitting next to her bed, along with a picture and a note.

 _Good morning, m'lady,  
Here are your shoes, as promised, and your picture. If you are available this afternoon, I would like to meet you in the common room so we can go get lunch together.  
-Edward_

How the bloody hell had he gotten in her dorm? Renee picked up the picture and gasped. The background was Hogwarts all lit up and under a blanket of snow at night, but that wasn't what drew her attention. In the center of the picture, Renee twirled her rose while Edward hugged her close, and they both had the largest smiles that Renee had ever seen.

Smiling to herself, Renee grabbed a quill and piece of parchment to write a letter. _Just wait till Mom hears about this…_


End file.
